Sergio Aguero is back amongst the goals as City thrash Sunderland. Diego Costa is handed a three-match ban, though Gabriel’s suspension is overturned. Ross Barkley helps Everton into the next round, though Swansea are sent packing by Hull after failing to score for the third successive match.
City Hammer Out-of-Sorts Sunderland
The Sky Blues scored all their goals in the first half as they recorded a 4-1 victory over a dismal Sunderland outfit. Sergio Aguero was first to strike from the penalty spot, before Kevin De Bruyne, Vito Mannone (own goal) and Raheem Sterling extended the visitors’ advantage. Manuel Pellegrini named a full-strength side, with Jesus Navas (55 minutes), Sergio Aguero (74 minutes) and Yaya Toure (89 minutes) making way in the second half. Although David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Wilfried Bony were not part of the matchday squad, all three are expected to passed fit for Man City’s trip to Tottenham on Saturday morning.
The Scout Says: Aguero did etch his name onto the scoresheet, but the Argentina international inexplicably failed to double his tally after rounding the keeper and facing an open goal. Notwithstanding Aguero’s lack of form, the 13.2-priced forward is rendered an enticing captaincy pick by virtue of the fact he’s netted eight goals in his last four starts against Spurs. With fellow scorers Sterling and De Bruyne also chipping in with two and one assists respectively, the Sky Blues’ attack is finally starting to pick up after scoring just twice in the last two Gameweeks without Silva on board. The Spaniard and Kompany’s imminent returns heighten their prospects of points at both ends of the pitch at White Hart Lane after they conceded for the first time last weekend.
Costa Banned by FA
Diego Costa has been banned for three matches by the FA following his altercation with Laurent Koscielny last Gameweek.
The Scout Says: Costa’s suspension rules him out of Chelsea’s League Cup tie against Walsall on Wednesday and the next two Gameweeks (new, SOU); the irascible frontman will be back in contention for a home clash against Aston Villa in Gameweek 9. Costa’s temporary absence could be a blessing in disguise for the Blues, given that he’s proved largely ineffective this campaign, tallying just 11 shots (four on target) and a single goal in six outings. Despite clocking just 99 minutes across a series of cameos, Radamel Falcao boasts as many shots on target as Costa and just three fewer attempts – underlining his superior goal threat. The Colombian looks poised to fill in for the Spain international, though Jose Mourinho could also turn to Loic Remy in his default 4-2-3-1.
Gabriel Ban Overturned
The FA have rescinded the Arsenal defender’s three-match ban after he was sent off during the weekend loss to Chelsea. The Gunners have successfully appealed on the grounds of wrongful dismissal, though Gabriel could yet be in hot water – he has until 6pm tomorrow to answer a charge of improper conduct during the 2-0 defeat.
The Scout Says: The Brazilian has now started each fo the last four Gameweeks in the heart of defence due to Per Mertesacker’s absence, though the latter has since been passed fit to face Spurs in the cup later this evening. Costing just 4.9, Gabriel had helped his side to three successive clean sheets prior to the weekend and given that the rest of the Gunners’ defensive regulars are priced at 5.5 or above, his budget-friendly price tag may bring him into consideration if he can remain ahead of Mertesacker in the pecking order.
Benteke Hamstring Concern for Reds
Christian Benteke underwent a scan on his hamstring on Tuesday, having been forced to withdraw at half time of Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Norwich City. The Merseysiders’ first-team coach Gary McAllister explained:
“Christian is going to have an MRI scan today. He has a little problem with his hamstring. Everyone else is okay.”
The Scout Says: Given that he remains the most popular forward in FPL, with an ownership just under 32%, Benteke’s fitness is being eagerly monitored – indeed, the big Belgian has already been sold by over 180,000 FPL managers after limping off at home to Norwich on Sunday. Brendan Rodgers’ decision to move to a 3-4-1-2 set-up saw fit-again Daniel Sturridge return to the fold and the Reds boss could turn to Danny Ings at home to Villa this weekend should Benteke miss out. At a price of 7.1, Ings emerged from the bench to net against the Canaries and with Rodgers keen to ease Sturridge back into contention, the former Burnley man would be the main beneficiary should Benteke be sidelined for any period. (4.7%).
Gestede Nods Villa Through
Rudy Gestede headed home Jordan Amavi’s cross at the 62-minute mark to grant the Villains a 1-0 win over local rivals Birmingham City. Tim Sherwood fielded a strong side at Villa Park, with the likes of Scott Sinclair, Ashley Westwood, Micah Richards and Amavi all lasting the distance, whilst Jack Grealish entered the fray at the break.
The Scout Says: In light of the fact that Villa drew a blank at home to West Bromwich Albion last weekend – mustering just three attempts on target – Sherwood might look to Gestede for their trip to Liverpool this Gameweek. The Benin international boasts more goals (one compared to zero), attempts (14 to five) and shots inside the box (12 to four) than Gabriel Agbonlahor, despite notching 120 fewer minutes. Amavi’s marauding instincts have already served up an assist this term, but few Fantasy managers will be tempted by his 5.0 price tag while the West Midlanders are failing to keep clean sheets – Villa have carded just two shut-outs in their previous 13 league ties.
Crouch Stakes a Claim
The Potters progressed through to the fourth round of the League Cup courtesy of a first-half goal from Peter Crouch. Mark Hughes made eight changes for their visit to Fulham, handing Peter Odemwingie (who provided the assist for Stoke’s winner) his first start of the campaign. Ibrahim Afellay played the full 90 minutes, while Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic earned brief cameos in the second period.
The Scout Says: Having served out a two-match suspension, Afellay’s return to action, allied with Crouch and Odemwingie’s contributions, adds to Hughes’ options in the final third as he attempts to earn a first league win of the season. The Stoke manager’s decision to rest Bojan Krkic last night suggests the Spaniard will return to the first-team fold for Saturday’s home encounter against Bournemouth, though there remains concerns over the weekend availability of Mame Biram Diouf, after the Senegal international failed to recover from an ongoing hamstring complaint. Joselu or Crouch look the likeliest to lead the line against the Cherries should Diouf miss out again.
Swans Drought Continues
Swansea crashed out of the League Cup after falling to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Hull City. Garry Monk enacted a raft of changes from the side that drew with Everton, with Gylfi Sigurdsson the only player to retain his starting berth.
The Scout Says: Coming off the back of two disappointing results in the league, Monk clearly felt it appropriate to rest his first-choice troops ahead of a trip to Southampton. Andre Ayew’s 24% ownership will hope that the Ghanaian winger can profit from a rest and recover from his recent downturn in productivity – having amassed 13 shots (10 inside the box and six on target) during the opening four Gameweeks, Ayew’s managed just one shot in his last two starts. Last night’s result now means the Swans have failed to score in each of their last three matches – hardly ideal, given that the Saints have three clean sheets in their previous four.
Dodoo Helps Foxes Through
Leicester ran out 2-1 victors over West Ham, with youngster Joe Dodoo claiming his fourth goal in two cup starts and Andy King sealing a winner in extra time. Christian Fuchs – who’s yet to make a league start this campaign – served up the assist for King’s goal. Marc Albrighton (68 minutes) was the only notable inclusion in the Foxes’ starting XI, but Riyad Mahrez came on late in the second half and ended up clocking over 40 minutes.
The Scout Says: In appreciation of his hat-trick against Bury FC in the previous round of the League Cup, Dodoo was rewarded with a 20-minute stint against Bournemouth in Gameweek 4. The Ghanaian forward could enjoy further playing time from the bench as a result of his most recent League Cup exploits. Incredibly, the Foxes are now unbeaten in their last 16 matches in all competitions, having tasted victory in seven of their final eight match-ups last term. Given that the East Midlands outfit rank joint-top for goals scored (13) and embark on a favourable run of fixtures (nor, sou, CRY, wba, WAT, new) beyond a home tie against Arsenal on Saturday, the likes of Mahrez and Jamie Vardy will remain top picks over that stretch.
Hammers Crash Out at King Power
Unlike Leicester, the Hammers elected to field an XI that was close to full strength, with Winston Reid, Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho the only notable omissions. Manuel Lanzini teed up Mauro Zarate – on his return from injury – for a deflected equaliser after 27 minutes. Payet was introduced at the 63-minute mark, while Cheikhou Kouyate graced the field 13 minutes later. Andy Carroll came through his 63-minute spell unscathed.
The Scout Says: In the wake of their hard-fought victory over Manchester City last Gameweek, the last thing West Ham wanted was fatigue-inducing extra time in the League Cup. Despite triumphing over Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City on the road this term, the Irons recorded back-to-back home defeats at the start of the season, which should encourage Norwich City ahead of their trip to the Boleyn Ground. The fact that Aaron Creswell, James Tomkins and Carl Jenkinson have all put in a serious shift over a four-day period raises a slight doubt over their clean-sheet prospects against the Canaries.
Pugh Helps Cherries Progress
The Cherries beat Preston North End 3-2 on penalties to earn a spot in the fourth round. Shaun MacDonald opened the scoring after 23 minutes, while Marc Pugh – who came on in the 81s minute – netted in the first half of extra time. Simon Francis and Steve Cook were the only two members of the team that played against Sunderland to keep their starting spots.
The Scout Says: Max Gradel’s long-term injury layoff has paved the way for Marc Pugh to establish himself as a regular starter. The English winger turned out an impressive performance against the Black Cats last Gameweek, ranking third among all midfielders for attempts (five) and shots on target (three). Priced at 5.0, Pugh could emerge as a viable option in the budget-midfielder bracket as the Cherries gear up for a strong pair of fixtures (sto, WAT).
Wearsiders Woeful Again
The Blacks Cats defensive frailties were brought to the fore once again as they conceded four goals in a 27-minute period. Ola Toivonen converted a DeAndre Yedlin cross late on to starve Man City of a clean sheet. Dick Advocaat deployed a first-choice XI but gave Costel Pantilimon the night off.
The Scout Says: Toivonen and Yedlin proved to be the only bright notes in another bad day at the office for the Wearsiders. The latter is yet to earn a start in the league but will he hopeful of earning the nod over Billy Jones after his eye-catching display in the League Cup. Aside from the excellent assist for Sunderland’s consolation goal, the USA international showcased his skill, strength and searing pace to outfox Aleksandar Kolarov and deliver a cross that Toivonen headed over in the first half. Priced at 4.4, Yedlin could be an attractive Fantasy asset if Sunderland can tighten up at the back.
Barkley Form Continues
Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu (free-kick) found the target for Everton as they beat Reading 2-1 in their League Cup meeting. The Toffees lined up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Ramiro Funes Mori, Phil Jagielka and John Stones forming the three-man defence. Aaron Lennon earned his first start since rejoining the club from Spurs, while Romelu Lukaku and Barkley played the full 90 minutes. Stones was taken off four minutes into the second half with a knee injury, but Roberto Martinez was keen to play down the severity of the knock after the match, insisting that the centre-back’s withdrawal was just a “precaution”:
“John was withdrawn as a precaution more than anything. He had a little bit of a knock to his knee and we couldn’t take any risks. He’ll be assessed over the next 48 hours but I don’t expect it to be anything too serious.”
The Scout Says: With three goals in eight outings across all competitions, Barkley has already surpassed his goal haul (two in 36 appearances) from the previous campaign. This can be attributed, in part, to the fact that he’s fashioned shots at a greater frequency in the league (one every 33.4 minutes compared to 40.5 minutes) and has improved his accuracy (41.2% up from 25.5%) by a significant margin. If the 6.9-priced Toffees midfielder can continue to deliver attacking returns over a challenging quartet of upcoming fixtures (wba, LIV, MUN, ars), he’ll be in high demand when Everton’s schedule turns kinder from Gameweek 11.
